Thoughts

When I read in the news that the Chancellor of Germany had announced plans today for Germany to abandon atomic power by 2022, I felt very proud of my German ancestors. I mean really, they are taking the steps necessary to fix some of what is wrong with the world. Now understand, I do not mean wrong with the world as in they way folks act or the economy or anything like that. I mean fix what is wrong with the WORLD, our planet, our mother, our place to exist.

Whether or not you personally believe in global warming or climate change or whatever you want to call it. {I am trying to make a point, not argue about words used or language} You cannot look around without seeing damage we, as humans, have done to our planet in the name of convenience or even survival. We have damaged our home. In addition, unlike our homes we live inside of, we cannot just up and move because we damaged this home beyond repair! We have no choice but to stay here and do what we can as individuals and as countries to try to change, to fix some of the damage, to do what we have to do to prevent more damage whenever we can.

Sadly I am not in a position to live the way I would like to, some call it “off the grid”, others “green living”. Again, pick the words that work for you, I do the best that I can, and I am learning more and adding each day sometimes to the changes made to be able to live as close to the way I would like as I can. I read about many other who feel the same way and are doing their parts as well, along with those who have been able to buy some land, and live in harmony with nature while not giving up modern things like the internet… :)  I see what changes they have made and are making and I applaud them as I envy them. Someday, I tell myself, I am determined.

So  before this turns into a long rant on how I feel about the environment and nature I will just say that I think the steps Germany is taking are the steps we all need to be taking and soon to ensure our children and their children will have a home to build a house on!

Until next time

Deb~

New Stuff

Just a quick post to let all of you know that in light of the severe weather we have experienced this spring I am redoing the severe weather page. Look for it later this weekend~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To all those touched by the horrible storms we as a nation have seen this spring, know that you are in the thoughts and prayers of many all over the world.
As a human community we can all find ways to reach out and help those who have suffered so much.
A simple smile can help in ways you can't imagine unless you have been through something similar.
WE can rebuild homes, schools, hospitals and businesses, we can not replace lives lost so let us all be aware of the dangers in the area we live in and make sure our neighbors and family are aware as well.
Have a plan, know where to go and what to do in the event of a weather emergency as well as any other kind of emergency.
Until next time
Deb~

Storms, Puppies and Little Boys

As I sit here tonight typing this post, my new puppy is sitting on the front deck looking at me all sad and puppy like after he was scolded and put out after his first "accident" in the house. It wouldn't have been so bad but really, Bubba had just come in the house from taking him for a walk, and I swear he came straight past me went in the other room and did his thing! I think he was maybe a little bit upset as we left him in the house alone a couple of times today as I had appointments in town, but that's no reason to take it out on me like that, ya know what I mean? Now that that's off my mind I can move on...

I also don't know where you are from, but where I live we have gotten a lot of rain. I know some of you have heard me yak about the amount of rain before so I will not dwell on it, but I do want to say that I am thinking a lot about the Hundreds of people that the severe weather has touched this year.
Thankfully here we have only had a few "bad" storms with mostly wind problems and a lot of rain. Unfortunately, way too many folks have lost family and friends and or every thing they owned in the terrible weather we have had this spring.
I hope all of you are taking steps to make sure you and yours are safe in this weather. No matter what kind of weather you have to deal with there is always a chance that severe things (think, hurricane, tornado, earthquake, tsunami and so on) can and do happen and you could be cut off from help or need to be able to take care of yourselves.

A lot of fun has been poked at the CDC recently for their publication in print and online titled Social Media: Preparedness 101: Zombie Apocalypse  but really it is kind of funny to read and if you think about it we hear the same things a lot about what we need to have to take care of ourselves and our families. I have a "bug out bag" as well as food, water and medicine to make sure no matter what happens (I hope) I can be prepared. I hope that you are taking the necessary steps to make sure you can care for you and yours as well.

I have spent a lot of time writing and speaking about being prepared, in fact maybe too much recently as I am finding my little guy is starting to freak out if the storms are coming close, he wants to leave and go to his sisters house (she is currently living in a nice basement apartment about 5 miles away in town) and seeing him get so wound up about a dark sky has me thinking about ways to approach him with solid information that will help him understand when to be worried and when not too. Some times it is hard to know what to tell kids in general, let alone when they process information differently!

He has made a new friend who visits his grandparents nearby and like to come and play with him. I am hoping the kid comes to visit often as he and my son seem to get alone well so far. They were playing basketball (can't tell their Indiana boys huh?) and having a good time before the rain moved in today, I am glad there is finally someone around here he can play with sometimes.

Well, that's enough for today, don't want to ruin your eyes making you read too much....hahaha

Until next time....stay safe!
Deb~

Sunshine and Gardening

I woke up to this today.....after what seems like weeks of never-ending rain, finally a perfect day. I got started early but even though the day looks beautiful, the ground is still really wet

At least it is not muddy is what I tell myself, as I head out the door. I managed to get the tomato's, peppers  and two rows of corn in today. Here is a pic of the first two rows of tomato's. The corn is at the other end of the garden and the middle is yet to be planted but that is where the cucumbers, squash, bush beans and turnips will all go.

tomato's and peppers

It is still quite a job to get the wet soil raked and planted. I am pretty sore tonight but it is a "worth-it" sore. At least now I know the planting has begun and we will have wonderfully fresh veggies in a few short months.

I also took a walk down the tree line to check out an apple tree, a mulberry tree and to pick some fresh wildflowers to take inside.
 I took Chewy with me and he enjoyed sniffing all the new and strange odors in his world.
He is coming along nicely, we take him out every couple of hours and of course he is outside with us when we are out.
except, he doesn't like being on a rope while outdoors, nope, not one lil bit. He wants to run and chase the kids and chew on everything in sight.
But nope, he is confined until he learns to control himself a little more.
He hasn't made any messes in the house, he is confined to my bedroom at night, and he wakes me bright and early (ugh) to go outside.
Of course I oblige his early call, for I do not want to wake and step out of bed into a puppy puddle!

A very sleep Chewbacca

He is tired after his afternoon of watching me plant, and my son and the neighbors little girl play. He looks exhausted doesn't he?? You would think he was the one doing all the work.

Well bloggy friends, that's it for now, I have more pics coming this weekend as I get more accomplished. I have decided to plant my raspberry bush in an old knobby, cool looking tire off of a three wheeler that my friend was going to throw out. The place I picked to plant it by the deck has a lot of tree roots from a big maple nearby so I figure I will just grow it in a "container".  

How are you doing with your gardening and other projects, are you getting spring off to a good start?

Until next time

Deb~

Rain, Rain...You Know The Rest

Wow, ever since I got to work on the garden, every single day since it was tilled up, it has rained. Dang it, how am I supposed to get it planted? It has been a very wet week! It has also been another very busy week. Since last Thursday when my daughter helped me with getting the garden area tilled, it has rained. Ugh! The last few days of rain have been the kind of rain that is and isn't, you know the kind that doesn't show up on radar

Thanks so much sweetie

because it is so light, yet causes you do need windshield wipers when driving, (or Rain-X...best friend of those of us who had a wiper motor quit for no reason!) feel wet outside after a minute or so, causes everything to have a layer of water on it and of course prevents the ground from drying out AT ALL! I mean I have tried several times to go out to the garden and get something done, but, the whole yard is muddy, it is like trying to .... well work  with mud or clay! I finally just managed to get one small row raked and planted 5 of the tomato plants, if the ground doesn't dry up a little I won't have a back left by the time I get everything planted. Besides it isn't just me, the newspaper I read yesterday said that our farmers have already lost a lot because they can't get the corn in the ground any more than I can get my garden planted. Oh well, we will have to wait a day or two more I reckon and give ole Momma Nature a chance and then see where we are.

In other news I took my son on a "road trip" on Tuesday this week, we went to see Pappy, he called and relayed info on my sisters trip up from near New Orleans and wanted us to come out and meet her there. This is what I got for the drive:

Chewbacca (Chewy)

Isn't he the cutest? My Sis called me and asked me if I wanted a puppy and after hearing her talk about him I said yes. My other dog Willow isn't so happy about the new member of the family and so far she has hidden and growled and barked a lot, but today she came out and sat with me for a little while and watched me play tug with Chewy. She didn't want anything to do with him, but at least she came out of hiding. I sure hope she warms up to him in the coming days! He is only 5 months old and although they had a different name for him, it was too close to the name of a very special dog I had that was killed so I decided we had to change it. Sooo, he finally wound up with Chewbacca, see Bubba is a super Star Wars fan and the little guy does kinds resemble ole chewy sorta in the face....... and man does he like to chew on things! Doesn't matter if it is only the rope leash he is walked on, his monster monkey, a sock, my toes, my pant leg, you get the idea right?! Oh yes, and the cat could care less, he seems to avoid the playful little guy but doesn't seem to care if he is in the house or not.

There, so that has been the bulk of my week, just busy, and of course rainy. We did however have a bright spot today, it was the team meeting for my son. His teacher, (the one that comes to the house) His wraparound case manager and I sat down and went over how things have been in the last month. We had had some problems with him for a little while but now it seems like he has calmed down a lot. We did go through a adjustment of medication doseage but other than that I think he is just doing better since he (we) can get outside more.

In one more week the teacher that comes here will stop coming for the summer and I will be doing all of the homeschooling. We will not be stopping for the summer, it is better for Bubba if we keep going over and over the things he has mastered and adding new things slowly. We have finally reached learning multiplication tables, and he is still having a lot of problems with reading but in science and geography he is doing amazingly well. So we are going to emphasize a lot of the stuff he likes this summer and incorperate some math and reading into them making it more fun for him I hope.

I guess thats about it for todays update, except I know I have promised pics of the plants and garden, please just bear with me a couple of more days and I will get them up! I hope you and yours are having a great spring and getting more done in the garden than I am!

Until next time

Deb~

Working In The Garden

I see the sun is peeking out from behind the clouds it has been hiding behind for the last couple of days, so I am planning to work in the garden today. It has been chilly and rainy and I am sure the ground is probably a lil on the wet side, but I can still start raking it and breaking up some of the bigger lumps left by the tilling and rain. I hope to plant either Wednesday or Thursday, under the "planting moon". I am going to wait and start my barrel of potato's under the new moon later this month.  I would plant the above ground stuff tomorrow but it is suppose to be another rainy, chilly day so I will wait one or two days for a lil more warmth, the moon will still be pretty full.

I also want to get my last window box set up today, I found a beautiful mint plant while shopping for plants last week and it is going on one end (I can't wait to try a fresh mojito) and I may try catnip on the other. (I am sure Chowder will approve). In the other two window boxes, the chives finally came up some and are doing okay, and the sage looks healthy, I will need to thin it soon. But my cilantro just doesn't seem to be fairing as well, it seems to get so big and then fall over like the plant isn't strong enough to support it's own growth rate. I am not sure what to do about that, after the first few fell over and perished I planted more so we will see.

So it is to be a Monday of cleaning, working in the garden to prepare the soil for planting and taking care of houseplants. I will try to get some pictures of all the plants for posting later this week.
Until next time,
Deb~

Tilling

Well, I have made a decision, or rather my body, specifically my knee, has made a decision; we will not remove the sod first but rather just use the tiller and till all the sod under in the big garden area. Sure, it will mean more weeding down the road but judging from the size of my knee, if I keep on trying to force it to work I will not be able to walk and that alone will be a big road block in my plans to get myself in better shape! I think I would rather do the weeding and save the knee!

It will be a little bit yet before I can till because we have had so much rain the ground is still pretty muddy here. I have been getting some flower seeds planted but not much more than that. The kids don't seem to mind the soggy ground, they are just happy to be able to go outside in shorts. One of my granddaughters eyes got huge today when I went to put shorts on her this morning, (they spent the night) gramma, she says, are those shorts? When I told her yes they were shorts and it was gonna get very warm today her little eyes got like saucers and then she started smiling and jumping up and down and singing...its summer time, its summer time... I was laughing so hard I had to wait a minute to finish dressing her.

We had a pretty decent storm move through today, a lot of places around us had some rather large hail but we were spared the worst here. I feel for so many folks that due to tornado's and floods have lost their homes and way of life this year. It is that very thing, that, and an ice storm a few years back that caused the loss of electricity for 5 days, that set me on the path of being self-reliant. Seeing how the government acted (or didn't act) during Katrina, the huge tsunami on Christmas Eve and even now the earthquake in Japan have shown the world the importance of being able to take care of ones self and family for at least a few days, and for me longer than that, if (when) something happens. Will you be ready??

I hope all of you are doing well, enjoying the beginning of spring, the colors and textures are just wonderful! Stay safe my friends, and have a great week!
Until next time
Deb~

Digging In the Garden

Hello blog friends, today has been a wonderful day to spend outside in the garden. Okay, really the garden-to-be area. I am removing sod by hand and so far it is exactly what you would think, back-breaking work! I am sore on top of sore and only got a few rows of sod off today! I am a little disappointed but, that's what it's all about for me, working. Working to get the garden ready for planting and working to get back into shape. I have let things go for too long really and of course now I am paying for it. Will I give up? Heck NO!

This kind of sore I like, I don't like the pains of aging, of disease or of inactivity. At least there is a GOOD reason for this pain .... it is the pain of accomplishment! I started the day off with my little man helping me but he all too soon tired and decided that the dirt was not something he was crazy about, I mean he is okay with the worms, heck he will even play with them but he is NOT crazy about bugs in general. He is now napping and I don't know if I am going to be able to convince him to help much with the rest and there is still a lot to do. I am sure once the hard stuff is done I will be able to get his help with the planting and harvesting and there is no doubt about the help with eating, he is an eating machine! (but what pre-teen boy isn't?)

Other than that there hasn't been much going on today. The weather has been great for a change, in the 70's and sunny as opposed to 50's and rainy! I will take it! So are you all able to get anything done in the garden yet?
Until next time
Deb~

Preparing Our Garden Spot

Today, in between the raindrops, my son and I are removing sod from the area that will become our garden in just a few weeks. We have had to work between the raindrops as it has rained here nearly every day for a while now. Okay well, not EVERY day, just most of them and for a little while the yard was too saturated to work in. 

It is still pretty moist (okay today it is almost muddy again) but it kinda makes it easier to cut the sod out. Bubba thinks it is too heavy since his job is to pull up the sod and put it in the wheelbarrow when I get it cut out. We do a little each day since I can't physically do the entire job at once, but a little a day is better than none and soon we will be able to add the compost and plant our garden.

I also have the raspberry and grape plants to get in the ground this week as it looks like winter has finally lost the battle with spring and I think we are past the last frost now. (keeping fingers crossed here) the herbs we started are doing well except for the chives, I finally gave up on the first batch last week since nothing sprouted after a month and replanted a new packet (maybe the first packet was a dud) so here's hoping the new batch will sprout soon!


In the sewing room, I have gather some material and am in the process of cutting out another dress for my granddaughters and I found a sheet with a nice pattern on it that I am cutting to make a new muu muu (I just love them, I could wear one all the time they are so comfy)

Soon, I will be getting the summer patterns I want for the kids and start on their summer clothes. I am looking forward to all the new things that will come from my sewing room.

I have also decided to continue through the summer with Bubba's schooling, we aren't going to take a summer break like the other kids do, since he only spends an hour a day on his studies we figured it wouldn't be a big deal to continue that through the summer and hopefully he will retain more this way instead of spending the first few months re-learning everything from the previous year!

And finally in fun stuff news I am planning my first bon fire party of the year for early June. By then it will be warm enough to be comfortable after dark. I have been having my bon fires for a few years now and they are great. We have a pitch-in dinner followed by loads of fun around the fire.

Since I live in a new place this time I have to start fresh beginning with a new fire pit. This time I am going to go up to the Rural King and buy a barrel to cut, then instead of using the bottom section, I am going to use the top and place it over a old stump in the yard, I figure after a while of having the bon fires the stump will be burned out! (besides the stump is in the perfect place in my yard for the fire pit.) I can't wait! The bon fires have always been so much fun for us, so much so that it played into my decision to move here last year. This place is very close to where I lived when I started having them and so far I have had friends asking when the first one of the year would be, so I don't think I could even get away with not having them!

So that's what is happening in my little corner of the world, how bout you? What kinds of things are you doing this spring??

Until next time,
Deb~

Chapter One Complete

Well, after reading a hundred times or so, (and I'm not kidding a bit either), and adding and editing I think I have the first chapter of something complete.

 I say the first chapter of something because I am almost afraid of the pressure and obligation of saying I am writing a book.

 I have written poetry and short stories a lot throughout my life although not anything recently. I like to think I am a pretty good writer although you really can't tell from most of the rambling posts on here. lol.

Anyway, I feel pretty good with the first chapter and I can't wait to find out where the story goes. Or for that matter what kind of story it turns out to be. I really have no idea.

It just started the other day, not the story but the process, with me cleaning out some old computer files and laughing over some stuff I had forgotten about. It is amazing after a couple of years to go back and look at stuff saved and forgotten about.

I came across an old file called decent story material. I remember a few years ago, I thought about writing but only scratched out what I thought were good ideas at the time and haven't looked at since. I also found one page of about 3 paragraphs that captured my attention when I read it. In fact when I first read it I thought someone else had written it! Then I remembered writing it a few years ago and when I read it one more time and thought about it for a few minutes the ideas just started flying and that hasn't happened for me like that in a really long time.

So I won't say I am writing a book, although I have always wanted to.I will just say I am writing chapters of a story that will be however long it turns out and maybe, just maybe someday I will write a book.

So how is your day going?
Until next time
Deb~

Life Without The Internet

Hello!
I have been away for a while I know, sorry blog friends, but see my internet connection is through the hotspot on my phone. (palm pre plus thru verizon) and my phone decided not to accept a charge anymore. (I was truely devastated) I took my phone in and found out that somehow the tiny pins that connect the charge port had gotten bent in. It was a funny yet sad moment in the verizon store when the guy asked me if I could see the difference between his charge port and mine and I had to laugh, see the difference? I asked him with a grin on my face "I can't see the darn port too good" ....now before you say anything I know I should have been wearing my glasses but about the only time I can convince myself to wear them is either driving at night or reading since I can do neither without so.
So anyway, back to the phone thingy. I had to wait for them to send me a replacement phone (the wait just about did me in I tell ya) and then get it activated and so on......
and finally ....ta da.... I am back.

To those affected by the unusually severe weather outbreak last week, know there are those of us who are praying for you.

Not a lot has been going on here except watching the rain just keep on coming. Luckily for me I do not live in a flood zone and unlike the storm back in February that flooded me due to frozen ground, since the rain has been steady it has been able to drain off and down to the little creek (lately a small river) and away. It has just been real soggy and muddy around here for days without end. YUCK. I am tired of it really and can't wait be able to get out and dig! Speaking of which, since the big garden this year is a new one here I had to call the "call before you dig" folks and get them out here to make sure I would not mess up any underground lines. They came out today in the rain and marked a couple of marks in the yard and told me I was good to go on the location of the garden and the trees I have planned for this spring.

In other news, things around here are quieter since the grandbabies are not here as much. They are now spending part of their week with their dad, since he is able to take them now. My daughter and him finally (a good thing) split but they are doing a good job so far with the girls.

I hope to be posting and reading more now, and boy am I glad to have the net and my phone back again.

Until next time
Deb~